Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of meat hygiene Inspectors.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not have directly employed staff who are subject to skilled worker visas.

The FSA recruits and trains domestic Official Auxiliaries, Meat Hygiene Inspectors, twice a year in line with the Government strategy of placing a strong emphasis on developing a sustainable, United Kingdom-based workforce. The FSA is also supporting its delivery partners in the development of domestic recruitment and training capabilities and plans to align with this strategy.